RTÉ denies defamation in case of former Archbishop

A High Court jury has heard RTÉ denies its documentary 'Mission to Prey' alleged former Catholic Archbishop Richard Burke is a paedophile.

The ex-cleric is suing the broadcaster for defamation, which it denies.

The former Archbishop has admitted having sex with several women while a cleric, including Nigerian woman Dolores Atwood.

However he claims he was aged 40 and she was aged 20 when they first slept together in 1989 – and not 14 as RTE alleged in its 2011 documentary.

He is suing the station for defamation because he claims the programme wrongly depicted him as a paedophile – an interpretation rejected by RTE's senior counsel Paul O'Higgins.

He told the jury RTE's defence is that the broadcast does not say the 66-year-old was a paedophile, but that the former priest had slept with a 14-year-old girl and molested a 13-year-old girl.

Mr O'Higgins is cross examining the former cleric.